Career advice.

I've been reading this email group for the past few weeks with great
interest. I'm a finance analyst working for a large enterprise.

Before I qualified as an accountant I studied software engineering.
Concentrating on using databases.

In doing my work I utilise my software skills - I have to say that most of
the time I use these skills to come up with solutions for filling in the
gaps in ERP systems. I currently use Oracle Financials & Hyperion Pillar.
Whilst these systems are good for the enterprise as a whole they don't fully
meet the needs of all divisions. Hence the need for a spot of programming
here and there.

I'm looking to move my career in the direction of finance systems. In fact
I am expecting a job offer nest week to work as a Finance Systems Analyst.
This is to support people using an ERP system from the business perspective
and coming up with processes/solutions to business issues that utilise the
ERP or anything else. The role reports into Finance but has a lot of
interaction with the IT department.

I'm wondering what peoples views are on a niche role such as this. I
believe that systems of some sort will increasingly be an integral part of
all organisations. I also think that to help systems be a success in the
eyes of business managers there is a need for someone with a business brain
who also understands databases and IT issues.

I'm hoping that this type of niche role today will be around in the years to
come.

I was a Certified Public Accontant in the investment banking arena. Our firm
decided to implement a proprietary investment fund management system and I
was involved in the development and beta testing (to make sure the tech
specs met day-to-day needs of the financial user of the system.

After a year on the project and watching its success, I opted to use that
knowledge of accounting/technical know-how to work for a firm that
implemented Oracle (more so on the financial modules). I've found this
"niche" of having an accounting and implementation mix to be VERY valuable.
The client knows that YOU also know what they'll need day-to-day, so you
"speak" the same language. At the same time I also know the backend setups,
configuration, etc., and would be able to communicate that for back-end
support.

I've been in this "niche" for about four years now and along the way have
gotten offers from other firms looking for such a combination of
financial/technical experience. I have colleagues who, after doing their
"tour of duty" out in the field have accepted offers to work internal to an
organization, so in my opinion, this "niche" will be around for a while.

I agree to u.The kind of roles u hv defined hv already started coming up
fast & they will be the need of the future.
Anotehr thing u shud consider is integration of no. of different systems &
communication between them.
U can also imagine factory automation systems like robotic mfg. & utility
control systems like Scada being integrated to ERP systems.These thinjgs
are already happening & as u said technofunctional people are & will be
required in More nos. For that.